Movies

Harry Potter Star Unrecognizable in X-Rated Film Earning 8-Minute Standing Ovation at Cannes

BBG News

A former Harry Potter star looks completely unrecognisable in new X-rated movie Pillion.

At just 12 years old in 2001, the actor, now 36, gained widespread recognition by appearing in the well-known Harry Potter movie series, featuring prominently in five of its cherished films.

Instead of playing a magical character on screen, the child actor seems unrecognizable from his fantastical roles, appearing alongside Alexander Skarsgard in the provocative, new film.

The movie received a stunning eight-minute long applause during the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday evening.

The star’s appearance, with a rough hairstyle and worn leather coat, stands in stark contrast to his typical image, as portrayed in the movie titled “Pillion”.

In this way, I have tried to keep the original meaning while using simpler and more natural language.

Can you guess who it is?

It’s… Harry Melling who played Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter franchise!

The movie delves into a BDSM romance involving a gay motorcycle enthusiast and a parking attendant, a storyline that garnered thunderous acclaim during its debut over the weekend.

The film was created by debut director Harry Lighton, who also wrote the script, and focuses on the characters Ray, portrayed by Alexander, and the reserved Colin, played by Harry Melling.

‘In the story, we encounter Colin, a shy individual, who encounters Ray, a charismatic motorcycle gang leader. Ray brings Colin into a submissive role within their group, shaking up Colin’s ordinary life and triggering personal development through an unusual partnership.’

As well as an eight-minute standing ovation at Cannes it has also earned praise from the critics.

IndieWire notes that Harry Lighton’s debut film surpasses ‘Babygirl’ in its raw and psychologically intricate depiction of a detached, biker character clad in leather and his loyal, submissive companion.

Prior to the premiere, Director Lighton expressed his intention for the movie to elicit laughter, stimulate thought, provoke emotions, and arouse feelings of attraction.

The movie includes graphic sexual content and extravagant outfits, yet the viewers at Cannes seemed unable to get enough of it.

In a suburban routine, timid character Harry (from The Queen’s Gambit) finds his mundane existence disrupted upon encountering the enigmatic figure Ray, portrayed by Alexander.

Ray initiates a romantic involvement with Colin and introduces him to his circle of queer motorcycle friends, adding an exhilarating and enigmatic flair to his daily life.

Yet, over time, Colin begins to find it constraining as he is constantly required to assume a passive position in his relationship with Ray.

As a diehard admirer, I can’t help but marvel at Alexander’s candidness when it comes to his on-screen nudity. He once jokingly declared to uInterview, “I’m Scandinavian; we just love being au naturel!

As a die-hard admirer, I can’t help but acknowledge that this Swedish heartthrob isn’t shy about portraying intimate scenes with other men. His breakthrough role in True Blood, the captivating vampire series, gave him ample opportunity to do so.

In one particular scene, I found myself working with the talented heterosexual actor, Theo Alexander. Prior to capturing that sequence, I had the task of helping him alleviate some of his apprehensions.

In a more conversational style:
I worked alongside the skilled actor, Theo Alexander, in a specific scene. Before we filmed it, my role was to help ease his anxieties.

In the same interview with PrideSource, Alexander clarified that he is heterosexual and had not previously kissed another man, which made him feel anxious.

In a conversation with Theo, I shared my thoughts about a captivating scene: “Observe the setting. It’s as if an adversary enters, and allure takes over; you might think they’re going to share an intimate moment, but then, quite unexpectedly, my character betrays him by striking from behind, resulting in a shocking explosion.

He commented: “In two minutes, observe the emotional rollercoaster ride we’ll give our audience. If we fully embrace this idea, it will lead to an outstanding scene that we’ll always be proud of. But if we hesitate, things could get uncomfortable.

Alexander is openly straight and has been in a long-standing partnership with the Swedish actress Tuva Novotny since 2022, and they have a child together.

Nevertheless, he pointed out that he found homosexuality to be the most straightforward and familiar aspect of himself, since his uncle and godfather happens to be a gay man. As a result, from an early age, even when he was just a toddler, accepting and understanding this orientation came as naturally as embracing heterosexuality.

Alexander, who’s the son of famous Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, reminisced: “My aunts often arrived with their spouses, and my uncles frequently came with their partners.

Among my father’s four siblings, he was undeniably the most stylish and forward-thinking individual, often seen as ‘cool’. Consequently, as a child, he was the role model I admired.

The dashing individual from Stockholm commented: ‘I found him incredibly tough, impressive, and stylish, and it’s clear that wasn’t due to his sexual orientation.’

As a teenager, it was when others were teased for being gay that I found myself not fully comprehending the situation.

It surprised me greatly since my role model, my mentor, was homosexual and he was one of the most amazing individuals I’ve ever met. I simply couldn’t fathom why being gay could be considered an insult.

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2025-05-20 14:11

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